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With the Cleveland Browns sending Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals to take over their quarterback duties, rookie Shedeur Sanders naturally slides down the Browns depth chart heading into Week 6.
Dillon Gabriel, who made his first NFL start in London in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, remains the starter. But with Flacco being his backup after being benched after four weeks, Sanders will now be behind him as they prepare to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road.
As the Browns made this surprising mid-split trade, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders – the legendary father of Cleveland’s fifth-round pick – was asked about the trade during his weekly press conference before his own game this week.
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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the game at Lincoln Financial Field. (Kyle Ross/Imagn Images)
His response?
“I don’t care,” Sanders told reporters candidly. “I don’t give a damn about the browns. I care about the Colorado buffalo. I care about the sheder sanders, though, I believe that. I care about him, and the rest of this mess I don’t.
Fair enough from “Coach Prime”.
Browns trade Joe Flacco to Bengals amid Cincinnati QB struggles
The elder Sanders looks 2-4 through six games with his Buffaloes. They’re coming off back-to-back losses to BYU and TCU, and Sanders hopes to take an 0-3 record into Big 12 play heading into its matchup against No. 22 Iowa State in Boulder on Saturday.
Deion predicted his son would play at some point in his rookie campaign, although he wouldn’t give a definitive timeline.
Sanders shared his thoughts on the “New Heights” podcast, telling hosts Jason and Travis Kelce that he “had a feeling when it’s going to go down.” He told his son to “be patient and be ready,” because he has faith that his time is coming.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, left, talks with quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during a timeout in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Central Florida, Saturday, September 28, 2024, in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, file)
In his first start, Gabriel was 19 of 33 (57.6% completion rate) for 190 yards with two touchdown passes in the 21-17 road loss to the Vikings. Minnesota ended up winning the game in the late stages, as Jordan Addison scored the game-winning touchdown with just seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The Bengals were clearly desperate to bring someone else into the quarterback building after Jake Browning, who had taken over for the injured Joe Burrow, lost each of his first three starts. With Burrow likely for the remainder of the regular season, the Bengals reportedly called multiple fronts before landing on Flacco.
Flacco didn’t fare well through four weeks, as the Browns went 1-3. He completed 58.1% of his passes for 815 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions. Head coach Kevin Stefanski made the change, although he kept Flacco as the team’s backup instead of moving Shedeur up the depth chart.
University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders talks about his journey battling bladder cancer during a press conference at the Touchdown Club at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., Monday, July 28, 2025. (Aaron Oniveroz/The Denver Post)
While it’s unclear if Flacco will start immediately for Cincinnati, the move figures to put him over Browning after three straight losses.
